Jack walked slowly through the streets, his steps dragging along the concrete as if his legs were tied to invisible weights. The sun was beginning to lower in the sky, painting the city in a dull golden haze. All around him, the world moved on like nothing had happened. Cars passed by with loud music pouring through open windows, pedestrians strolled past in pairs, laughing and talking about their day. Shop doors opened and closed, delivery men unloaded boxes, and the scent of food wafted from nearby restaurants. The day hadn't stopped just because Jack's life had.
He had been fired only an hour ago. Not given a chance to properly defend himself. Not after the betrayal. His heart was still racing from it, his head buzzing. The echo of his boss's words still rang in his ears. And the moment Amelia, someone he thought had his back, someone he trusted like family, looked him straight in the face and lied, she didn't need to look him in the face to lie anyway. That moment played on a loop in his mind. He had felt his entire chest tighten, not from anger but from disbelief. Now he was just numb. His mind wandered without aim, following the rhythm of his exhausted feet.
As he passed by a row of glass-front restaurants, he slowed down, distracted by the warm lighting and soft clinking of plates and glasses. People were gathered around tables, smiling and enjoying their meals. It was a life Jack no longer felt part of. His eyes drifted casually, but then locked onto something. His body went still.
Inside one of the restaurants, seated comfortably near the window, was Samantha. He froze in place. At first, he wasn't sure his eyes were working right. But they were. There she was, his girlfriend, leaning slightly forward, her face lit by the glow of candles, her hand casually resting under her chin. She was smiling. She was laughing. And sitting right across from her was a man Jack instantly recognized.
It was the same guy from two weeks ago. The guy who had walked up to them in the middle of the street and asked Samantha for her number, right in front of Jack. That day had already felt like a slap to the face. They were out walking together, a simple stroll after picking up groceries. Jack had been telling her about a project at work, hoping to make her proud, hoping she would finally see that he was trying to create something better for them. Then, out of nowhere, this random guy appeared. Bold, overly confident, with a crooked grin and a cocky stride. He didn't even acknowledge Jack. Instead, he looked straight at Samantha and said, "You look like someone I need to know. Can I get your number?"
Jack had been stunned. Waiting for her to laugh it off, expecting her to walk away with him. But she didn't. She turned to Jack for a brief second, almost as if to enjoy his reaction, then looked back at the man and said, "Sure." She pulled out her phone, smiled, and handed over her number like Jack wasn't even standing there. When he asked her about it later, she rolled her eyes and said, "It's not that deep, Jack. Why are you being so possessive? We're not married." That moment had sunk into Jack's soul like a cold stone, but he buried it, like he had buried so many things for her. Her insults. Her indifference. The way she would ignore his messages when he just needed to hear from her. She had never truly loved him, and he had always known it, deep down. But he convinced himself that maybe, just maybe, if he gave more, she would come around.
He had thrown away so much for her. Stopped buying clothes for himself. Gave up his personal time. Abandoned his style. Once, Jack was the guy people looked at twice. Clean haircut, fitted clothes, shoes that shined. But when Samantha came into his life, her demands grew quickly. He had to focus on work. Had to stay late. Had to chase money just to keep up with what she expected. Slowly, the parts of himself that made him feel alive started to disappear.
Now, she was with that guy. The same one Jack had warned her about. The one who openly flirted with her while she was still his girlfriend. And she was smiling. Happily. Casually. As if she belonged there, with him. Her hands reached toward the guy's arm. Her eyes sparkled in a way they hadn't for Jack in months. His chest tightened. His mouth went dry. And the ache inside of him flared up with new heat. Then she saw him.
Their eyes met through the glass. For a second, everything paused. Jack stared at her, waiting for something. Maybe shock. Maybe shame. Even guilt. Anything. But she didn't look surprised. She didn't flinch or look away in embarrassment. Her expression remained the same. Calm. Unbothered. She stared at him for a moment, then tilted her head slightly and gave the smallest shrug. As if to say, Well? What did you expect? Jack's arms dropped loosely at his sides. That little gesture hurt more than all her words ever had. He didn't even know why. Maybe because it confirmed what he had feared all along. That he didn't matter. That she had never truly cared.
He turned away from the window. He didn't storm off. He didn't cry. He just walked. One slow step after the other, as the last fragments of something inside him began to fall apart. The world around him blurred. Streetlights flickered on one by one. Traffic buzzed in the distance. A dog barked from a nearby alley. But Jack heard none of it. His thoughts were buried deep under a flood of emotion. Pain. Anger. Regret. Disappointment. And worst of all, realization. She had never been his.
No matter how much effort he gave. No matter how much he changed. No matter how deeply he loved her. He walked into the evening air, lost inside himself, not sure where he was going or what he would do next. But one thing was certain.
He had just reached the lowest point of his life.